Making a Skald character... looking for advice

[Kalmarjan]

I'm looking to continue my quest to make a character that models some of the cool things I've seen on the Vikings show. Looking through the PHB, I notice that we have bards with the college of valor. They even mention Skalds.

I'm looking to do something more in the vein of a character who is armed with two handaxes that wades into battle in a frenzy, while chanting a war tune that inspires his comrades. Thing is, he needs to be someone that kicks major butt, but not in the sense where he is a complete tank. Like the Vikings on the show say, only go into a fight you know you can win.

What would you guys do? I was thinking of modeling it after the Vikings Handbook back in 2e editions, with the rune magics, but I'm more looking for a character that will slice and dice, with the magic to back them up.

Would you go full on bard? Valor college, or would you multiclass with a barbarian?

[Yuki Akuma]

Half-Orc Valor Bard with Dual Wielder and maybe a level of Fighter or two of Ranger to pick up Two-Weapon Fighting Style.

Barbarian doesn't really help, because you can't cast spells while raging.

[Herobizkit]

Bardbarian is pretty rad, but like the above poster says, know when to cast and when to froth at the mouth and chop people's heads off.

Dual Wielder feat is what you're going to need to use two BATTLE axes, but you can TWF with handaxes with no feat requirements (either as a pair or with one in your off-hand), plus you can throw said handaxe(s) if you like.

If you're going to split Barbarian/Bard, decide early how deep you want to go. You'll need 5 levels of Barbarian or 6 levels of Valorbard to get your second attack... and if you're going past 2 in Bard, you might as well Lore Bard for the better magic selection. You'll still be a Skald, and a better one, since you'll be super lore-focused.

Also, there are rumours of Rune magic floating about with regards to the upcoming Giants adventure... could be worth looking into.

[Kalmarjan]

Bardbarian is pretty rad, but like the above poster says, know when to cast and when to froth at the mouth and chop people's heads off.

Dual Wielder feat is what you're going to need to use two BATTLE axes, but you can TWF with handaxes with no feat requirements (either as a pair or with one in your off-hand), plus you can throw said handaxe(s) if you like.

If you're going to split Barbarian/Bard, decide early how deep you want to go. You'll need 5 levels of Barbarian or 6 levels of Valorbard to get your second attack... and if you're going past 2 in Bard, you might as well Lore Bard for the better magic selection. You'll still be a Skald, and a better one, since you'll be super lore-focused.

Also, there are rumours of Rune magic floating about with regards to the upcoming Giants adventure... could be worth looking into.

Oh, I'm loving that. Rune magic looks like it would be cool.

I'll have a look. I start off at 7th level, so need to come up with something there...

[X3r4ph]

Now of course the Valor Bard is the obvious choice.

But there is also the Banneret Fighter from Sword Coast Adventure Guide. For a teamwork character this guy is pretty cool.

[Specter]

What you need is the Banneret (AKA Purple Dragon Knight) from SCAG, with (at least) one level of Barbarian in it. Valor Bard is good, but not for your intended purposes. Maybe take three Barb levels for the Wolf Totem, giving advantage to your melee partners.

[Afgncaap5]

I'm a huge fan of the Rune Scribe prestige class for using rune magic, and am sorely tempted to suggest a build that uses that... but I tend to see them more as buffing weapons pre-battle ("Now you can shoot as far as your eyes can see!" "Now your hand axes are on fire!") than actually wading into combat and inspiring allies *during* battle. Other rune magic variants might be useful, though.

[JeffreyGator]

Why not college of swords bard to get dual wielding instead of taking the fighter level?

I haven't watched Vikings yet and so how magical do you want the character to be?

If less magical than full caster entertainer background on a ranger could make a fine lightly armored dual wielding fighter with some magic.

Much of the magic you are describing could fit a paladin also (bless, divine favor, auras) but they don't have a TWF style option by RAW.

[Mechaviking]

Bard.. OR any class you want to play with decent charisma and the entertainer background :D